Despite Joe Burrow’s Record Breaking $275,000,000 Contract, Lamar Jackson Will Emerge as the Highest Paid NFL Player in 2023

Joe Burrow has finally made the move he was desperate for, as the Bengals recently made him the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. The 26-year-old achieved the feat by reportedly signing a 5-year contract worth a whopping $275,000,000. However, despite bagging the biggest contract in the NFL, he will still be trumped by Lamar Jackson as total earnings in 2023 are concerned.

After signing the deal, Joe Burrow will become the first quarterback in NFL history to have a $55 million average annual value. However, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is all set to earn $80 million this year, making him the highest-paid player overall in 2023.

Lamar Jackson will Earn a Whopping $80 Million in 2023

Earlier this year in April, Lamar Jackson signed a massive contract extension with the Baltimore Ravens. The 26-year-old inked a five-year extension worth $260 million, making him the highest paid footballer in the NFL, at that point. However, Jackson’s record did not last long time as Justin Herbert chimed in with a $262.5 million deal. Nevertheless, Jackson’s new contract meant that he keeps hold of the title of the highest earner in 2023.

Although Jackson’s $260 million contract equates to an average annual value of $52 million, his earnings this season would be boosted heavily due to bonuses. According to the terms of his renewed contract, he is entitled to receive a sensational signing bonus of $72.5 million this season. Jackson’s earnings this season would be $80 million in total, as he receives another $7.5 million as part of his base salary. Therefore, his total earning of $80 million is almost twice as much as the next highest-paid player, who happens to be Browns quarterback, Deshaun Watson.

Joe Burrow’s reported contract extension will see him pocket about $219 million in guaranteed pay itself. His average annual salary would be $55 million, which pips Jackson’s AAV by a slender margin of $3 million. This contract extension makes him the highest-paid player in the NFL overall, but not the highest-paid player this year, with that title belonging to Lamar Jackson. All in all, these astounding figures do depict one thing, there has not been a better time to be a quarterback than this season.

Lamar Jackson Feels Anxious Ahead of the New Season

Lamar Jackson had a long tussle with the Ravens before getting a new contract. Now that his wishes have been granted by the franchise, a lot is expected from the quarterback who won the NFL MVP award back in 2019. The Ravens made wholesale changes to their offensive roster during the offseason with quality signings and hence the expectations would be a lot greater than usual from Jackson, who will lead the new-look offense.

However, it seems that the pressure of expectations is starting to get to the quarterback. Jackson revealed that he was a bit anxious heading into the first game of the season. He is keen on not peaking early, as advised by his head coach John Harbaugh in one of their meetings. “I’d say I’m a little bit anxious, but Coach [John] Harbaugh said in a meeting, ‘Don’t peak too soon.’ So, I’m not trying to peak too soon,” Jackson said talking about the start of the season.